Annunciator



E. W. VOGEL.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILEDJUNE 20, 19M.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

0 Fig.1.

N VE N T 01?.

A R-NEYS.

E. W. VOGEL.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE20, I914.

1 ,337,299, Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORNE Y8:

E. W. VOGEL.

ANNUNCI-ATOR.

APP LICAT|0N FILED JUNE 20, 1914.

1,337,299, Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

A TTORNEY/S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENF W. VOGEL, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 CHICAGO RAILWAY SIGNAL AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CARPENTERSVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ANNUNCIA'IOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known-that I, EUGENE W. VOGEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the, following is a specification.

My invention relates to an annunciator, and particularly to an annunciator suitable for use in a switch tower, or like situation, to give notice by a visible and also an audible signal of the presence of a train upon a certain track.

The invention contemplates providing a visible signaling mechanism capable of producing three signals, one to indicate a clear block, and the other two to indicate the pres ence of a train upon the block; and further, to provide an audible signaling mechanism, such as a bell or buzzer, which commences to operate when the train appears on the block and is automatically silenced either when the train leaves the block, that is, when the visible signaling element displays the clear signal, or by the setting of the visible signaling mechanism from the position displaying the train signal into which it is automatically moved by the appearance of a train on the block, to the position displaying the other train signal, to which latter position the mechanism may be moved by the tower man through the agency either of an electrically operated mechanism controlled by a push button, or the like, or by a pull rod or other suitable means.

In train annunciators of the type heretofore most commonly used, the visible signaling element or banner assumed only two positions, one indicating a clear track and the other a train on the block. The banner automatically fell to the train position and the bell or buzzer started to ring when the train appeared on the. block and the bell or buzzer continued ringing until the trainleft the block, when it ceased automatically. The banner or visible signal was then reset by hand. As a result of the mode of operation the tower men very frequently plugged the buzzer when a train'- stayed.

upon the block for any considerable'length of time so as not tobe annoyed by the continual ringing. When the train moved oif the block, it not infrequently happened, through carelessness, that the buzzer was left plugged upand accidents resulted. To

overcome this condition annunciators were devised in which the banner could be set back by hand to the-clear" position, and the buzzer thereby silenced. The disadvantage of'.-a device of this sort is that when the mechanism has been set back by the tower man to stop the bell, there is nothing to give indication that the train is still upon the block. ,If the train remains on the track for any considerable time the tower man may forget that he has reset the annunciator and, relying on the indication of clear given by the banner, send another train in on the block to collide possibly with the train already there.

My invention provides an annunciator in which the buzzer or other audible signaling device may be silenced in case the train remains for any considerable length of time on the block by an operation which leaves a visible signal indicating that the track is not clear. Having reference to the particular embodiment of the invention hereinafter described provided with a chart or train card divided to provide three signals, one clear and the other two train, the banner may be moved by the tower man from one train position to the other and the buzzer thereby silenced. hen the train moves off the block the banner is automatically returned to the clear position from this second or manually set train position.

The invention consists in the novel arrangements, constructions and devices tobc hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated object, and such other objects as will appear from the following description.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevation with the electric circuits and certain devices shown diagrammatically Fig. 2, a longitudinalsectional view of the annunciator showing the banner in the clear position;

Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of held in place by cli the lower part of the mechanism showing the banner in the first or automatically set train position;

Fig. 4, a sectional plan taken on line 4-4 1 of Fig; 3;

Fig. 5, a view, similar to Fig. 3, showing 'the banner in the second or manually set train position;

Fig. 6, a view, in perspective, of a portion of the lever supporting the banner, showing particularly the dog employed for holding the banner in its two upper positions, and

Fig. 7, a view, in perspective, of the bracket in which the banner supporting le- I V81 is pivoted.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a frame to which is secured an insulating block '11 on which the operative parts of the annunciator are mounted, and 12 a housing inclosing said mechanisms and formed with an aperture 13 closed by a piece of glass 14,

carried on a lever 1 pivoted to a clevis 18 of a bracket 19, carries a chart divided into three sections 20, 21 and 22, one above the other. The display of the middle section indicates a clear track. The upper and lower sections are displayedtogive indication of a train on the block. The banner is automatically moved to display the upper section 20 when a train moves upon the block. It may beset by the tower man to a position to display the section 22 to silence the buzzer designated 23. When the train moves oil' the block the banner is returned to l the clear position from whichever train position it maybe occupying. .The n per.

-- from the clear position to the position displaying the upper train signal 20, as will be hereinafter described.

The banner lever 17 is held in its intermediate position, to display the clear sig nal, by the following devices; The lever 17 is formed with'an arm yieldably maintain the dog in position to engage other parts to be described The dog is engaged by ashoulder 33 of a tripping arm 34 which constitutes the armature of an electromagne't'35. The magnet is suported on a shelf 36 secured to the insulat ing block 11, the shelf being formed with signal 20 is s-15-. The banner 16,.

ated 24 25 designates the track battery, and 26 the track 29 to which-is pivoted a dog 30 against opposite-sides of which bear two leaf springs 31, 32 which a depending bracket 37 in which the arm ture or tripping arm 34 is pivoted on a pin 38.

When a train-moves on the block 24, causing the relay 26 to drop its armature 27 ,the magnet 34 is energized by a battery 38', the circuit of which is designated 39 (Fig. 1);

The armature for tripping arm 34 is drawn.

up to the magnet and this releases the dog. V

.30 so that. the arm 17 falls carrying the banner to the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the upper train signal 20 is displayed. I The buzzer displayed by operation of the buzzer is arranged following devices The on a circuit 40 in which is a battery pair of spring contacts 45, 46' which are se-- 23 is set in operation when I cured to the insulating block 11 and normally stand apart. nected toa b'nding post 47 electrically. connected with the contact -45and to a binding post 48 electrically connected with'the con- The wire 40 is con tact46. ,The arm 29 of the banner'lever 17 j is provided with a button49 of insulatingmaterial which comes against the contact the contact spring 46.

A pull rod 50 is attached to theinner end of the lever 17 for raising the same to display the the buzzer circuit train signal 22. By doing this. is broken between the contacts 45, 46, which separate as soon as the 1 button rides away from contact 45, so that the buzzer is silenced. When the banner is raised to this position (Fig. 5) the dog 30- 52 of the armature 33 so tlrat the banner is engages a tooth 51 on a depending portion held in this position as long as the magnet '34 remains energized. V

The same movement of the lever- 17 :may

53, and the circuit 54, a shunt from circuit be effected by means of a resetting magnet 40., which is closed by a push button 57 10- cated at any convenient point in the tower house. The armature 58 of the magnet 53 moves in guides 59 on they magnet and is provided with a pair of uprights 60. con-' nected by a cotter pin 61 which extends through a slot 62 formed in the lever '17jonthe other side of the pivot pin 63 from the banner. The movement of the lever 17 in the direction to display' the signal 20 is .lim ited by a cross piece64 forming part of the bracket 19. f

The housing 12 is. held in position by a screw 65 which enters a lug "66 formed on the shelf 35.

The operation of the apparatus-above described may be summarized as follows:

When the block 24 is clear the circuit of the magnet 35 is open at 27, 28. The armature 34 of the magnet is down and its shoulder 33 engages the dog 30 holding the lever 17 in its intermediate position so that the 90 1 spring 45 when the banner drops to-the position shown in F ig.j3, forcing it against clear signal is displayed at the window opening 13. The mechanism is shown in this position in Figs. 1 and 2. When a train moves on the block battery 25 is cut out, relay 26 drops its armature 27 closing the circuit of magnet 35 and the magnet attracts its armature 34, releasing the dog 30 which allows the banner to drop to its lower position displaying the train signal 20. The button 49 bears against the contact spring 45 pressing it against the contact spring46 which completes the circuit through buzzer 23. The mechanism is shown in this position in Figs. 3 and 4. To silence the buzzer the tower man pulls down the rod 50 or presses the push button 57 so as to raise the banner lever 17 If the train by this time has moved off the block, causing magnet to drop its armature, the dog the shoulder 33 so as to hold the banner in the clear position. With the train still on the block, the armature 34 is in its upper position against magnet 35 so that in order .to hold the banner up the lever 17 must be rocked until the dog 30 engages the catch 51 on the armature. In this position, which is the position shown in Fig. 5, the lower train signal 22 is displayed and the mecha nism is set so that when the train moves ofl the block, the banner is automatically returned to clear. That is, assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig.

and the armature 34 is dropped by the deenergization of magnet 35 which takes place when the train moves oii' the block, the dog 3O disengaged from the catch 51 will be intercepted and held by the shoulder 33. Should the banner not be manually operated to open the circuit controlling the audible signal until after the train has cleared the track, the dog 30 will not engage the catch 51 but will engage the shoulder 33 to hold the banner in the clear position. It will be released from this p0sitionthe clear position of Fig. 2 -allowing the banner to fall tothe lowermost position, that of Fig. 3, when another train makes its appearance on the block in the manner above described.

While the invention is shown and described in a preferred embodiment, modifications might be devised without departure from the principles-of the invention. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the particular constructions, arrangements and devices specified except so far as said constructions, arrange ments and devices are specifically made limitations in certain of the claims herein.

30 will engage with anism, actuating devices therefor operable only when said visible element is in the lower position;'means for raising said element from the lower to either of the other positions; a spring pressed pivoted dog on said visual signaling element; a tripping arm formed with catches adapted to be engaged by said dog, one of them to hold said element in the upper position and the other to hold the same in the intermediate position; and mechanism for controlling the movements of said tripping arm so as to effect one or the other of said engagements.

2. In a train annunciator, the combination with a visual signaling element adapted to assume an upper, a lower and an intermediate position; of an audible signaling mechanism, actuating devices therefor operable only when said visual element is in the lower position; means for raising said element from the lower to either of the other positions; a spring pressed pivoted dog on said visible element, a tripping arm formed with catches adapted to be engaged by said dog. one of them to hold said element in the upper position and the other to hold the same in the intermediate position, and mechanism for controlling the movements of said tripping arm so as to effect one or the other of said engagements, said dog, when released from the engagement holding the element in the upper position, being adapted to come into engagement with the catch on said tripping arm which holds said element in the intermediate position.

3. In a train annunciator, the combination with a signaling element adapted to assume an upper, a lower and an intermediate position; of means for raising said element from its lower to either of its other positions; a spring pressed pivoted dog on said element: a tripping arm formed with catches adapted to be engaged by said dog, one of them to hold said element in the upper position and the other to hold the same in the intermediate position, and mechanism for controlling the movements of said tripping arm so as to effect one or other of said engagements.

EUGENE IV. VOGEL. Witnesses:

L. A. F ALKENBERG, R. KUEHN. 

